1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a competitive video game system having at least two image display units for allowing at least two game players to play a competitive video game, and a method of displaying images in such a competitive video game system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Some competitive video game systems have at least two image display units such as CRTs (cathode-ray tubes) for allowing at least two game players to play a competitive video game. Known competitive video games that can be played on such competitive video game systems include sports games such as soccer and basketball games, martial-arts games, racing games, etc.
Two game players play a soccer game on a competitive video game system as follows: After the game players have selected respective soccer teams, the game players operate respective manual controllers to move game characters, i.e., simulated soccer players, of the selected soccer teams to play a soccer game on game images displayed on the display screens of respective CRTs that are assigned to the game players.
Each of the CRTs displays the image of a soccer field as viewed in either a longitudinal direction or a transverse direction thereof. When the image of the soccer field as viewed in the longitudinal direction thereof is displayed, the viewpoint for an attacking team is positioned behind the goal of the offending team, and the viewpoint for a defending team is positioned behind the goal of the defending team (each of these viewpoints will also be referred to as a "longitudinal viewpoint"). When the image of the soccer field as viewed in the transverse direction thereof is displayed, the viewpoint for the attacking team is positioned for the game player to see the attacking team's goal on the left side, and the viewpoint for the defending team is positioned for the game player to see the defending team's goal on the right side (each of these viewpoints will also be referred to as a "transverse viewpoint").
While a competitive video game is being played in game spaces created on the display screens of respective CRTs by two game players, the images of a game field displayed on the respective CRTs are viewed in either a longitudinal direction or a transverse direction thereof. For example, while a soccer game is being played, either the image of the soccer field as viewed in the transverse direction thereof or the image of the soccer field as viewed in the longitudinal direction thereof is displayed on the CRTs from different viewpoints for the respective game players.
Video game systems which display images as viewed only in a transverse direction of the game field (transverse display mode) are not attractive enough to those game players who are not good at video game playing with the images displayed in the transverse display mode. Similarly, video game systems which display images as viewed only in a longitudinal direction of the game field (longitudinal display mode) are not popular among those game players who are not skillful enough to play with the images displayed in the longitudinal display mode. Even video game systems which display images selectively in the longitudinal and transverse display modes should find two game players who are more skilled in the same display mode because the game players have to select one of the longitudinal and transverse display modes in order to play the video game.